33 Icebreaker Gone Wrong

She allowed him to carry her and seconds later, they were at his place, thanks to his super speed. 

Madeline gawked at the place, her head spinning. She was close to throwing up. 

Xavier's place wasn't like the residences at Eudora at all; it didn't look as old and rustic as the places there.

"It's beautiful," Madeline breathed, admiring the two-storey modern cabin that stood in front of her. She was struck in awe.

"You live here?"

Xavier shrugged, "I don't have much time to use this place but I do whenever I can."

He fished in his pocket for his house keys.

"Ready to go inside?" He asked Madeline.

"Or are you still busy gawking at its exterior?"

"It wasn't what I expected," Madeline admitted.

"Then… What did you expect?"

"Uh," Madeline hesitated.

'Shit, what do I answer?'

"I'm messing with you," Xavier spoke, unlocking his door by pressing a couple of buttons and using his key.

For a second there, Madeline thought she saw Xavier break into a smile.

But that probably was her seeing things… Right?

She let out a huge gasp the minute she saw the interior of Xavier's place.

It was… perfect. Everything was sparkling clean, as though he had cleaned the house every day, or had live-in butlers and maids.

'What are you thinking, this isn't some movie, get your head out of the clouds!' Madeline told herself.

She asked, "Can I take a look at what's upstairs?"

Xavier didn't see why not.

He didn't have anything to hide - and what he did was properly stashed away, somewhere Madeline definitely wouldn't look.

"Go ahead," he said, heading for the fridge to grab something to drink.

Madeline occupied herself with roaming around Xavier's place, forgetting that Xavier was there with her.

Of course, she didn't get to see what Xavier's bedroom looked like, amongst a couple of other places, but she didn't notice. She was too starstruck.

But, whilst she was in awe, she couldn't help but admit this place felt… lonely.

'Poor Xavier, how long has he lived here for?' Madeline thought, keeping her thoughts to herself knowing Xavier would likely hear everything she said, what with his super hearing.

From the high ceilings to the furniture made mostly of wood and the woollen carpets, Madeline wondered if Xavier had really picked out everything for the cabin. It seemed so… off-brand and un-Xavier like.

'Speaking of, where is Xavier anyway?' Madeline wondered, looking around.

She looked down at the first floor to see no one there.

Madeline searched through the gardens, the entire first-floor area and the second floor to no avail. Xavier wasn't there.

'That man certainly has an affinity for being mysterious,' Madeline frowned, beginning to worry Xavier had left her here.

Until… she saw Xavier outside, at a spot she hadn't looked at.

There, sitting in the distance was Xavier.

Madeline walked over to him, trying to be as quiet and discreet as possible on her way to him.

Then again, her meaning of quiet and discreet wasn't exactly silent enough to go unnoticed by Xavier.

"I really ought to teach you how to be more nimble," Xavier said, taking a sip from his drink.

"What's that, another Eudorian energy drink?"

"How did you know?"

Madeline was about to slap the drink away before he scoffed.

"I'm kidding," he admitted.

"It's water."

Madeline sat down beside him.

He handed her the other bottle of water beside his.

"Here."

Madeline managed a small smile.

"Thanks."

She sighed, staring into the distance.

"You've got to admit, this is way more fun than sleeping and or reading," Madeline chuckled.

"You're not wrong," Xavier said.

"We should do this more often."

"When I'm not stacked with work," Xavier said mindlessly.

He stopped moving. He had said that without thinking and just blurted it out.

Just as he was about to change the subject so he'd feel less… exposed, Madeline nodded.

"Agreed."

"We should do this more often when we get the chance to."

"But…"

"Hmm?"

"What is it?" Xavier asked, curiosity slowly filling him the longer Madeline didn't answer his question.

"Why don't we play a game?"

"What kind of game?"

"An icebreaker," Madeline answered.

"What's an icebreaker?" Xavier questioned, genuinely confused as to what it was.

After a quick explanation of what an icebreaker was, Xavier agreed to play it.

His reasoning was… he had one day to do whatever he wanted. It was a game played to warm up the conversation.

"Okay, who'll start?" Madeline inquired.

"Ladies first," Xavier insisted.

"Alright then."

"So, what's something nearly no one knows about you?"

"Pass."

"What's the best present you've ever been given?"

"No thanks."

"What's your guilty pleasure?"

"What's a guilty pleasure?"

Madeline was beginning to get frustrated.

"Xavier, that's not how you play icebreaker."

"Then how do you play it?"

Madeline had a hand to her forehead.

"Well, for starters you try to answer all the questions the other player asks," Madeline explained.

"Ah."

"I've never played icebreaker before," Xavier admitted.

'I can see that,' the look Madeline gave him spoke for her.

A few minutes passed by in complete silence.

Neither of them wanted to cave in, before…

Xavier began, "My full name is Xavier Caspian Ezekiel Aspen Ronan."

"A few seconds ago, four people knew. Now that I told you, five."

Madeline stared at him.

"Xavier Caspian Ezekiel Aspen Ronan," she said, the words rolling off her tongue smoothly like she'd heard the name before.

"That's your full name?!" Madeline asked in astonishment.

"That's--"

"Do you want to hear the answers to the rest of the questions or are you going to go on about how long my name is?"

"Right, go on then," Madeline cheered Xavier on.

"Okay."

He mused, "The best present I've ever been given…"

"...is you," he answered thoughtfully, not regretting what he said.

Madeline didn't know whether to feel honoured or act disgusted.

'Pft, why act disgusted?'

'There's nothing to be disgusted about. It's sweet.'

The two voices seemed to have agreed on this one thing. Actually, as of late it seemed like they'd been on great terms.

Thankfully, the first option won - although the only thing that made it out of Madeline's mouth was, "Aww."